Nick Brandt

Portrait of Cheetah Against Dark Sky - Maasai Mara (from On This Earth Portfolio

2004

Nick Brandt is an English contemporary photographer who has primarily worked in Africa. The themes in Brandt’s photography often relate to the destructive impact that humans are having on the natural world and how future generations will inherit the remnants of a once-vibrant planet. Brandt prefers not to use zoom lenses because he feels the animals he photographs are best captured up close.

Brandt studied painting and filmmaking at the Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design in his hometown of London. In 1992, he moved to California, where he became a successful music video director, working with artists such as Michael Jackson, Jewel and Moby. In 1995, while filming Michael Jackson’s “Earth Song” video in Tanzania, he was overcome by the beauty of the wild animals. In 2000, he embarked on a project to document the struggles of East African wildlife living in a landscape that is being overrun by exploding human populations and exploited for its natural resources. He filmed animals in the wild using an approach similar to studio portrait photography, reinforcing that animals are sentient creatures not so different from humans.

Brandt has frequently returned to Africa throughout his career. His acclaimed 2004 book, On This Earth, was followed by two more successful books, A Shadow Falls and Across the Ravaged Land, in 2007 and 2011. During work on the last in this trilogy, in 2010, he co-founded the Big Life Foundation, which fights to protect the animals and ecosystems of a large area of Kenya and Tanzania.

In 2019, Brant published This Empty World, bringing to light the ever-increasing destruction of the East African wilderness, where animals can no longer survive in the wake of human progress. It was his first time using color photography. His 2021 book, A Day May Break, captures the impact of climate change and environmental loss on humans and animals.

On 1stDibs, find Nick Brandt’s photography, prints and more.